Attracting New Dental Patients

Acquiring new dental patients is a challenge the dental industry has faced for many years, and continues to face. Investing in external marketing to push your brand in an effort to increase your patient base could be costly, and just not in your budget. Luckily, there are things you can do yourself, or within the practice to help develop and share your brand to attract new patients. Here are 5 suggestions:

1. Current Patient Satisfaction

According to various studies, when looking for a dental care provider, people take personal recommendations into strong consideration and tend to prefer the same dental care provider used by someone they know and trust[1], [2]. Therefore, it is extremely important to ensure that your current patients are satisfied with you as their provider, the quality of treatments received, their experience at the front desk and more. Essentially, make sure your patients are satisfied with their overall patient experience at your practice. This is imperative to attracting new patients and increasing your patient base as satisfied patients will refer you and your dental practice to family, friends, co-workers – anyone they may know, that is looking for a new dental care provider.

Attracting new dental patients

2. Website and Social Media

Current society is highly dependent on the internet, including social media and websites. Therefore, as a dental professional who owns a practice, having an easy to use, easy to find practice website, as well as practice accounts on various social media platforms will help make a difference to potential new patients[3], [4], [5]. It’s important that on your website and social media platforms your contact information is visible (both phone and email as patients may have different communication preferences), and on your website, appointment requests are streamlined (a form that is quick to complete and submit by patients). Your website and social media platforms should also contain information about yourself (education, experience, qualifications, awards), your staff, and your practice (technologies, accreditations, cases, available treatments). This information demonstrates your credibility and authority in the field, and allows potential new patients to learn about you and the practice.

3. Bills and Payments

Dental patients rely heavily on their insurance[6]. If they do not have employment insurance, they may be covered by and rely on a private or government plan. If they do not have either, they will have to pay for the treatment themselves and may require some sort of payment plan. To attract new patients, there are several options that you should consider: accepting reimbursements to be assigned directly to you if that is an option for their insurance policies or government plans; facilitating faster reimbursements through electronic claims submission; or offering payment plans with favorable conditions. New patients appreciate knowing the financial options your practice offers and having this information on your practice website and social media accounts is a viable way to ensure potential new patients are aware of payment expectations.

4. Dental Technology

When choosing a dental care provider, dental patients want to know that they are going to be getting the best dental care. To them, that means having an experienced, caring and knowledgeable provider that uses some of the best dental technology out there[7]. To aid in attracting new patients, implement new devices, and make it evident that you use some of the most recent dental technologies which are helpful for detecting and treating dental conditions. This will help make new dental patients feel like their oral health will also be well taken care of, and that they are making the right decision in choosing you as their dental care provider. Making this information available on your website and social media platforms will provide an easy way for potential new patients to access this information.

5. Continuous Education

Of course, dental patients want a dental care provider that is experienced, caring and knowledgeable. That’s why continuous education is an imperative aspect to attracting new dental patients and increasing your patient base. Ensure that all your patients know you are involved in continuous education – learning new skills and methods, so that you can provide the best dental care to your patients. Additionally, share with your patients any certifications, and qualifications[8] you or the office as a whole has received. Including this information on your website and social media platforms makes it accessible to both existing patients as well as to potential new patients.


Maintaining your current patient base is essential to practice success. However, it’s also necessary to attract new patients and increase your patient base so that you can grow your practice and continue to thrive. Although it is true that finding new patients is no easy feat, implementing some or all of the above-mentioned recommendations could give your practice what it needs to stand out and acquire new patients.

[1] Ungureanu, Marius & Mocean, Floarea. (2015). What do patients take into account when they choose their dentist? Implications for quality improvement. Patient Preference and Adherence. 9. 1715. 10.2147/PPA.S94310.

[2] Tee, Chi & Cheng, Johnson & Chen, De-Shing & Tsai, Chi-Yang & Bayarsaikhan, Od. (2024). An Overview of Patient Preference When Choosing a Dentist and Orthodontist. Taiwanese Journal of Orthodontics. 36. 10.38209/2708-2636.1350.

[3] The Biggest Challenges Dentists Face In 2024 – Difficulty Finding New Patients https://www.thedentalcfo.com/blog/the-biggest-challenges-dentists-face-in-2024

[4] Alalawi, Abdullah et al. “The Effect Of Social Media On The Choice Of Dental Patients: A Cross-Sectional Study In The City Of Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.” Patient preference and adherence vol. 13 1685-1692. 3 Oct. 2019, doi:10.2147/PPA.S213704

[5] Freire, Yolanda et al. “Influence of the use of social media on patients changing dental practice: a web-based questionnaire study.” BMC oral health vol. 23,1 365. 6 Jun. 2023, doi:10.1186/s12903-023-03078-9

[6] The Biggest Challenges Dentists Face In 2024 – Difficulty Finding New Patients https://www.thedentalcfo.com/blog/the-biggest-challenges-dentists-face-in-2024

[7] Alalawi, Abdullah et al. “The Effect Of Social Media On The Choice Of Dental Patients: A Cross-Sectional Study In The City Of Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.” Patient preference and adherence vol. 13 1685-1692. 3 Oct. 2019, doi:10.2147/PPA.S213704

[8] Alalawi, Abdullah et al. “The Effect Of Social Media On The Choice Of Dental Patients: A Cross-Sectional Study In The City Of Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.” Patient preference and adherence vol. 13 1685-1692. 3 Oct. 2019, doi:10.2147/PPA.S213704